Can I drive my children to school if I have covid?

[petitdonkey]

Sorry to ask here but I’ve searched and searched online and just this.
Advice is clear that children have to attend school but how do I get them there? There are no buses as we are rural.
Dh took them yesterday and today then came home and tested positive. Putting them in a taxi is an (expensive) option but seems to put the driver at risk…
So I’m wondering if I’m okay to get them if we all wear masks and keep windows open? Obviously wouldn’t step foot out of the car.. Have any of you done this?

@JaniieJones
There absolutely are legal reasons to leave isolation while you are covid positive. It is really quite dangerous to suggest that there aren't - people can, for example, leave to access urgent medical treatment. You may also leave to attend the funeral of a close family member, obtain basic necessities where it is not possible to obtain them in another manner, avoid a risk of harm, access critical public services e.g. social services and fulfil a legal obligation (inter alia).

The legislation is in "The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Self-Isolation) (England) Regulations 2020".

OP has a legal obligation to ensure her children attend school. In fact she risks a fine and potentially a criminal penalty if she does not do so if the school will not authorise non-attendance.

So I'd say that it is arguably within the law to take them to school. Certainly it seems more likely that the school will issue a fine for non-attendance than that she would be fined under the coronavirus regulations.

@Chessie678 I just going the link for that!

@JaniieJones

Petty minded curtain twitchers . Always the argument used by people who cba to follow guidelines or don't understand them.

I understand the rules well enough to know that taking your child to school in a car whilst you are Covid positive may not strictly be lawful (though that's open to debate)... but I also understand that rules need to be applied with a degree of common sense, and not obsessively to the letter irrespective of harm or risk.

Do you genuinely believe common sense never has a role to play in how we abide by rules? If not, presumably you would not stop your child from running into the path of an oncoming car if it meant having to drop the sweet wrapper you we're holding and - God forbid - "breaking the law" by your risking littering by it being blown away...

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz

Who is actually going to stop you in the car and check if you are covid positive? No one.

What is the chance of a breakdown, crash etc ? Minuscule

What is the chance that if the above happens (unlikely) you then go on to infect whoever attends to you? Zero

Lets be realistic here people.

This

@petitdonkey assuming you’re feeling well enough to drive, I would absolutely take your dc to and from school. Then chances of anything going wrong really are minuscule.

Potentially exposing 2 taxi drivers a day to the virus would seem more irresponsible than what you’ve proposed.

Hope you’re all better soon

When I was awaiting my PCR test results last week- very ill and was certain it was Covid, I was on the phone to 119 whilst I was collecting DD, I explained I needed clarification be ausd I didn't feel I could make the right decision with the advice that's available.

DD has to go to school, but I also have to isolate. There is no one else who can take DD except for myself.

Having her in the car with me puts her at additional risk, and I'm uncertain if its even legal. What if I have a car accident?

On the other hand, if DD is in a house with me and I've got covid, the chances of her getting it are high and should she really be going to school to pass it on there, and how is it fair to potentially expose a taxi driver who is the literal only other option?

Apparently legally there is no advice on getting children to school. The man on the phone advised that because there was a grey area of how children grt to school with xovid positive parents, the likelihood of being prosecuted is low and to take her to school, not leave my car and drive safely.
Not something I agree with at all, and did do the school run for several days, in a mask, DD in the back (other side of the car) also in a mask, with her window ajar, and mine too.

Purely from a legal POV. The legal requirement is to self-isolate isn't it? Ie not come into contact with other people from other households. I'd have thought that technically that would permit you to be in your car. It's your car and no one else can get in it and if you don't get out until you're home again I'd think you'd have a strong case for this counting as self-isolating.

I’m currently debating this exact issue. My 4yo isn’t capable of going into school by himself, so I guess I have to keep him off?

Of course it's fine, I'd do it without a second thought and would certainly not be asking on here. Some of these comments are so 2020!

Quite a few parents in my DC’s school have had Covid now and many of them have ended up having to keep the kids off school as, if you’re not supposed to leave the house, kids are too young to walk to school themselves and no other parent available to do pick up, then there often isn’t an alternative. No-one had said anything to them about it and the school has accepted the situation.

Would be the same for me as DH is not at home during the day to do drop off/pick up so if I get Covid, the DC won’t be able to go. I could ask a friend to help but for (a minimum of) 10 days it would be quite a big ask.

Take your kids to school

@FreshFreesias yes, it’s a legal requirement to self isolated if tested positive, with a limited few exemptions, and taking children to school is not one of those few exemptions. So if they can’t get themselves there / be taken by family / friends / taxi / childminder / whatever, they should stay at home and do distance learning. I work for a LA in this field and that’s the most recent update for this topic

We are authorising all Covid absences for our pupils, if parents and/or siblings have covid themselves, even if the child at our school doesn't. They also get access to the same remote learning as they would if they has tested positive themselves.

Our children are too small to make their own way to school, and it encourages parents and families to keep their children at home to reduce the risk of it spreading.

Obviously some do still come in and if all but a couple of cases the child has subsequently tested positive - at least the parents tested them I guess. We have vulnerable staff and pupils. Yes, the adults are vaccinated, but if immune compromised they may not have full immunity even then. We can't prevent the coming in and we can't insist on test results being done/shown.

Re taking them to school. Officially if you have covid yourself you cannot take them to school as you should be isolating and not leaving the house except in exceptional circumstances - school run is not one.

You could ask another parent or family member to do the school run for you, if you really wanted your child in school.
However, it is very unlikely school would record it as unauthorised, esp aged 4y.

You would by be allowed into our playground if we knew you had tested positive.

I could keep him off now but for how long??!

If you did decide to keep him off, due to transport issues, then it would be for your SI duration. If he subsequently tested positive he would have his own SI on top of this. If that happened though school would be obliged to provide remote learning. They don't have to if they dont have covid themselves, but many schools would do so.

Have you spoken to school? I had a very sensible conversation with my children’s school as one child and my husband Covid positive. Other child and I are just isolating too because the rules are ridiculous. School ok with this and child two will be a Covid related absence.

Ayone can leave isolation to 'fulfil their legal duties'

You are legally required to send kids to school.; That is your defence - not that anyone would stop you. I've been isolating and taken mine everyday. Its ridiculously over dramatic to stop your child going to school when you can sit in a car and drop them off.

Some people have zero common sense these days

@Watapalava. You’re obliged to make sure your child receives an education, not that they attend school. Accessing remote / home learning meets that requirement. The school run is not a valid exemption from SI.

The children having covid themselves and passing it on ( which is allowed) is a bigger covid risk than the risks associated with the parent passing it on themselves, driving the child to school.

@Sleepyblueocean

The children having covid themselves and passing it on ( which is allowed) is a bigger covid risk than the risks associated with the parent passing it on themselves, driving the child to school.

I'd go so far as to say the risks of children passing on Covid at school following being infected at home are astronomically more likely than a parents passing it on driving their car. It's like worrying about the teaspoon of skimmed milk you put in your tea whilst not being concerned by the massive slab of gateau you're eating.

I’m in this situation at the moment, and I did read the other thread. I called 119 and they said it was fine to drive DS2 to school, happened to be having a phone call with my GP, asked her and SHE said it was Ok, called the school and they said it was fine and they’d send someone out to pick him up from the car in the morning. Come the morning, I turn up and they’ve changed their minds, tell me it’s illegal and I have to turn around and go back home. I go back home, call 119 to double check, and the person I talk to THIS time tells me I shouldn’t drive him!!

I am highly, HIGHLY pissed off by the whole thing 🙄

@Watapalava

Ayone can leave isolation to 'fulfil their legal duties'

You are legally required to send kids to school.; That is your defence - not that anyone would stop you. I've been isolating and taken mine everyday. Its ridiculously over dramatic to stop your child going to school when you can sit in a car and drop them off.

Some people have zero common sense these days

You are not legally obliged to send your children to school. You are on]blogged to ensure they get educated. If the school provides remote learning in this situation then there is no obligation to leave the house.

School runs are not deemed an exception from isolating in the government documents,

OP just take them. MNers are obsessed with accidents and breakdowns which in practice won't happen.

You are not legally obliged to send your children to school you are in England when they are on the school roll. If you don't you get fined (maybe not at sixth form level but certainly for Y11 and below).

i asked NHS 111 about it and i have been told I am not allowed at all but can ask friends and family to drop children

People are ridiculous.

There is a far bigger risk of passing on Covid via OP's DC who are at school, than the OP sitting in her car.

If the first situation is allowed, then why not the second? People have seriously lost the ability to think for themselves and use their common sense!